Flying Solo
by KrazywithaK
Summary: AU The Skywalker family has just hired a pilot, one who is willing to keep his mouth shut about Anakin's secret life: for the right price. What they don't know is that they've sparked a chain of events leading to a matter of head versus heart. COMPLETE!
1. The Stage is Set

Author's Note: This is the second edition of Flying Solo. No real difference from the first, just with fewer author notes.

**Disclaimer: I am but a humble Jedi master. I don't own Star Wars. **

Master Skywalker sighed. It had been a long day, and he was just sitting down to a highly anticipated meal. He propped his head up with his hands, ignoring the usual no elbows on the table rule, and glanced at the two Padawans seated on either side of him.

The first was a boy. The thin braid was just visible behind his left ear, a piece of dirty blonde hair that ran down his neck to his shoulder. He yawned loudly, stretching his arms and pushing his chair back from the table. His sister, a girl with dark brown hair that ran halfway down her back, rolled her eyes at her twin brother's lack of self-control.

"What?" he said through clenched teeth.

"I didn't say anything!" protested his sister. The young man muttered again, but then turned his eyes to the piping hot plate of meatloaf his mother was placing in front of him. Padme knew she was risking her job as senator by agreeing to stay with her husband and children on Tatooine. If anyone found out that Anakin had broken the Jedi code, he could be banished from the order, not to mention lose his position on the council.

But Padme was an incredibly stubborn person, and Anakin had no luck convincing her to leave the children in his care alone. He had tried everything in his power to change her mind; still she was always there to oversee things. It all worked out for the benefit of the whole family. They loved having her around the house and up until now no problems had come up.

As they settled down to eat, Padme served her husband some of the vegetables and casually voiced the silent fear that had been feeding on the Skywalker family's minds ever since they found out about the council meeting scheduled for the next week. "I still haven't found a pilot who can take us to Coruscant."

This was followed by more silence. Luke, the boy, decided to drown his growing dread in an extra large helping of meatloaf but only succeeded in nearly choking. Anakin himself pretended to be highly interested in one of the blue tassels hanging off of the edge of his place mat. Leia, Padme and Anakin's daughter simply gave her mother a sympathetic glance.

It seemed as though the Skywalker family would never find a capable pilot for the journey. Whomever they hired would have to be willing to take extra precautions to keep their identities safe. They would have to drop Anakin at the council meeting, loop back around and deliver the twins to two separate locations, and finally escort Padme to her senatorial quarters.

This was risky business even without the fear of discovery. During the Clone Wars, many security droids were sacrificed to protect the Senate, so the lack of privacy would be less than before. Nonetheless, it was hard to keep their lives a secret. Leia and Luke had been apprenticed to two different masters. In public, they had to refer to their father as Master Skywalker. Padme's fellow senators had begun to wonder why she was taking such a long holiday.

Suddenly, there came a loud knocking from the entrance hall. A strange howling noise, another crash, and several muffled curses shortly followed this. Unfortunately, the swearing wasn't muffled enough, and the twins were able to make out a bit of what he, for it was a man, was saying. Leia blushed and avoided her parents' eyes; Luke became engrossed in his dinner.

"I'll get it," announced Anakin, getting up from the table.

"I'll come with you," Padme said, following him. Luke and Leia silently made their way into the entrance hall behind their parents. They could just hear the man speaking again, his voice becoming louder as he approached.

"I hear you guys are looking for a pilot," he began. "Well, lucky for you I'm the best around. Got the fastest ship in the galaxy. Customized her myself." The howling started again; the twins exchanged nervous glances. "Okay, so I had a little help from my crew," he confessed. Luke craned his neck to locate the source of the howling, but it was to no avail. "Chewie, you stay here," the man's voice said again, and whatever Chewie was made a noise that must've signified approval. Leia moved forward a little to get a better look at the new candidate, who from what she'd heard seemed skilled but overconfident.

Now, Leia was a well-trained Jedi. She had developed the ability to keep all of her relationships professional, and so often held her true feelings under lock and key. Naturally, she applied this to the pilot who had just entered her living room. "Name's Han Solo," he was saying to her parents. "I can fly you to Coruscant and every stop along the way…for a price, of course."

Leia, for the first time in her life, didn't know where her loyalties lay.

For some time, Leia would think her first impression of him was that he was rather ordinary. But nestled safely in her heart were her true feelings. Although she'd never admit it, in reality she thought he was incredibly handsome. This was, of course, in comparison to the other men she'd seen on Tatooine and in the Jedi temple: her master, her brother, and her father.

"Nice place you got here," he commented, looking around their house. His eyes swept over the furniture, nearing the place where Luke and Leia were watching eagerly. As he glanced across the far wall, he met a pair of intense brown eyes: Leia's. Luke gulped; he knew his parents would've preferred it if they'd finished their dinner and left their parents to discuss business with this Han Solo in peace.

But Leia was too distracted to be afraid. Han was still staring directly at her, and despite her training she couldn't bring herself to break away from his gaze. By now Padme had spotted her children. "Alright, you two," she said, bringing Leia out of her daze. "I know you guys are going to want to meet our next applicant. Plus, we need all the help we can get to plan for our trip to Coruscant. How would you like to be our panel of expert judges?"

"Sweet!" Luke yelled, jumping up energetically. Padme led him into the kitchen with Anakin in tow and Leia lingering behind, telling herself it had nothing to do with the perfect stranger who still hadn't left yet. She allowed him to go ahead, but Han refused and once again the two of them made eye contact. In that fleeting moment, he couldn't help but notice that she was, in his opinion, beautiful. Not knowing why, he smirked at her, and then, he winked.

It took a few seconds for Leia to fully process what had just gone on. In those few seconds, Leia's face slowly contorted into a bitter expression of hate and indignation. With an outraged cry of "Well!" Leia forced her way into the kitchen, purposefully knocking into him without so much as an apology.


	2. Sold, to the Jedi With the Twins

"She's the best starship around, The Millennium Falcon. Faster than anything you could imagine. We've been all around the galaxy, that ship and me. Sure, her hyperdrive's a little faulty, but you really can't do any better these days. I'd say for a ship like that, combined with my superior flying skills," Han said, pausing to allow Leia to suppress a laugh, "it'd be worth around thirteen."

"Thirteen credits?" Padme said in disbelief.

"Thirteen credits? You're kidding me. I meant thirteen thousand credits." Han relaxed and waited for the weight of his words to sink it. It didn't take too long, and its effects were tremendous: Luke's mouth hung open, Anakin gave Han a look that plainly stated that he thought he was out of his mind. Padme just nodded, not because she accepted the offer but because she had been right. "Of course," Han said casually, stretching out on his chair with his arms behind his head, "you could always find another pilot…"

"No!" The whole family cried at once. Han gave them a smug smile, looking pleased; once again he had gotten his way. It was a few minutes before anyone spoke again; at last Anakin turned to Han and said, "Thirteen thousand credits for the trip to Coruscant, and an extra thousand to avoid any, ah, information leaks."

"Pleasure doing business with you," Han replied, giving Master Skywalker an overly enthusiastic handshake.

"Why don't you have some dinner?" Padme offered. She pulled out an extra plate and served him some meatloaf. "I'm Padme, by the way. This is our son, Luke, and our daughter, Leia."

"Well, Luke," he said, "it's nice to see that we've still got some Jedi around here. Most of them live in the big city." Luke smiled; taking Han's outstretched hand and shaking it. "And Leia, I believe we've already met."

Leia frowned, then gave him what could only be described as a cross between a death glare and a disgusted wrinkled nose. "Yes, we have. That's funny, I don't recall ever agreeing to this business deal," she retorted with a meaningful glance at her father. "But I suppose no one values my opinion."

Luke winced. "Sorry," he said, turning to Han. "Forgive my sister, she's a little…outspoken."

Leia shot a dark look at her brother, while Luke threw up his hands in defense. Han, of course, was thoroughly amused by all of this. "Well," said Anakin in an attempt to break the icy silence that was consuming them all, "Looks like we're going to Coruscant after all. We'll leave tomorrow morning, so Luke, Leia, you'd better start packing. Han, you can stay in Luke's room for tonight, there's a spare blanket you can use. Go on, don't be shy, eat as much as you want."

Not everyone was willing to extend the same hospitality towards the cocky pilot. "That's not a cue to shove your face into your plate," Leia snapped.

"I wasn't planning on it!" Han yelled back.

Padme thought that it was a good time to get the twins ready for tomorrow's journey. "Come on, Luke, you and Leia should start packing now," she said as she got up from the table. With a regretful glance at his unfinished meatloaf, Luke followed his mother up into his bedroom.

He had very few possessions, and it didn't take long to shove some extra Jedi robes and his clean clothes into a duffel bag. Luke checked to make sure his lightsaber was secure in his belt, then looked around to make sure he hadn't left anything. His room was bare except for the small bed and dresser.

Leia still hadn't finished her dinner, so she stayed behind. "I still can't believe we actually found a pilot," she said to her father, "even if he is an amateur."

"Amateur?" Han said defensively. "I've been doing this for years. Just ask Chewbacca, he knows I'm the best around. He's outside, working on the Falcon. Chewie's a Wookiee," he explained. Master Skywalker raised his eyebrows, but didn't interrupt. "And a darn good mechanic too."

"I didn't know Wookiees could fly," Anakin mused.

"I didn't know Jedi had families," Han replied.

Leia fiddled with her meatloaf, pushing it around with her fork. She was a bit stunned by the question, and for a moment wondered if Han wasn't above revealing Anakin's secret for money. "Well," her father began, clearing his throat, "actually, they don't. You see, marriage and attachment are against the Jedi code, so technically Luke and Leia shouldn't exist."

"I won't tell if you won't," Han promised.

"I'm holding you to that," Anakin said with a serious expression on his face. "If you ever reveal our location, you can kiss those fourteen thousand credits goodbye. That's why we had trouble finding a pilot. Most of them were real scoundrels; untrustworthy, had shifty careers, some were smugglers, some were in debt…"

Han shifted uncomfortably in his seat.

"But luckily, we found you," he finished with a smile.

"Yeah," muttered Leia as she gave her meatloaf a particularly violent stab. "We're so lucky to have someone who's capable of being a major pain with a walking carpet for a sidekick. If anyone gets suspicious, I'm sure you can just smooth talk your way into even greater danger."

Han opened his mouth to speak, but decided that it was better if he just stayed on her good side. He was beginning to wonder why he had ever considered her beautiful. It wasn't a good idea to make your employer's daughter your enemy, he thought. After all, he was counting on those credits to pay off a few debts to the people who already were his enemies.

Leia got up and scraped off her plate, then headed up the stairs. Who did that Han Solo think he was, acting like a big shot and trying to catch her eye? She was almost certain that he'd been disappointed at the mention of Jedi not being able to marry or love. But it was just her mind (not to mention her emotions) playing a trick on her.

She rummaged through her belongings, tossing whatever she might need into a large leather bag. She had gone through almost everything, and then she noticed the jewelry box resting on her desk. Picking it up, she opened the lid and looked at the only thing inside: a small carved necklace that her father made her when she was a little girl. Not wanting to take the whole box with her, she simply slid the chain around her neck and placed the box in its original location.

Once everything was in place for the next morning's journey, Leia pulled down the covers and climbed into her bed, determined to get a good night's sleep.


	3. Not Quite a Bargain

It was just a little before dawn. The Skywalkers, Han, and Chewbacca were making their way over to the hangar where the Millennium Falcon was located. It was a short trip by speeder, but due to the party's size they had been reduced to walking. This hot desert trek was not exactly what they had in mind.

"Ugh," moaned Luke as he hoisted his pack back onto his shoulders; it had been gradually slipping lower and lower throughout the journey. "My boots are getting full of sand! Why couldn't they just build the speeders a little larger?" he complained. Despite the collective glares of his father and sister, Luke used the Force to make it just a little easier to hold his luggage.

"So, what exactly is the Force?" said Han conversationally.

"You can't define the Force," Leia retorted, a tone of harshness in her voice. "The Force is in everything, rocks, trees, life itself. It binds everything together. It's also what gives the Jedi their power. Non-Jedi are unaware of its presence, but it's still there." She walked along purposefully, her pack swinging against her side.

"And as for what enables the Jedi to use the Force," Anakin added, "there are tiny structures in the bloodstream called midi-chlorians. Another way that some Jedi are found is purely by chance; most major homeworlds look for children who have incredible reflexes and skills that the Jedi possess."

"I get it," Han said. "Well, almost. I understand about what kind of power the Force gives the Jedi, but I still find it hard to believe that there really is one Force that binds everything together. You gotta admit, it's not an easy concept to grasp, and it's human nature to assume they're just a bunch of monks who know some fancy tricks and have flashy weapons."

"You wouldn't make a good Jedi," Leia muttered. "You lack the faith necessary for the training to be of any use. My father shouldn't have wasted his wisdom. Any explanations of the Jedi way would be lost on you."

"Aren't you being a little harsh?" Padme said gently. Han was looking off in the other direction, scratching his head.

"It's okay," he replied. "I can defend myself. Well, pardon me for not fully accepting and understanding a way of life that I have never experienced before. I shouldn't even talk to you, seeing as you're so much more important to the galaxy than I am," he finished, voice full of biting sarcasm.

Padme cast a nervous glance towards Anakin; he caught her eye and raised his eyebrows. A mutual feeling of concern passed between them. 'I'm worried about them,' Padme's look seemed to say. 'All I'm worried about is making it out of Tatooine with both of them alive,' Anakin thought back.

The constant bickering continued all the way to the hangar, with topics as diverse as politicians ("They're all at least half-decent, which is a lot more than you could say about yourself"), until they had nearly run out of things to discuss. And so they resorted to berating each other's argumentative personalities. Padme looked as if she was going out of her mind; Luke began to hum a tuneless melody in a vain attempt to keep his sister's harsh voice from echoing in his ears. Anakin said nothing, but remained ready to assume his Jedi role as a keeper of the peace at any given moment.

When they finally reached the hangar, Leia was finishing her speech on why Han's arguments against her were weak. Luke was grateful to have a question to ask. "I hate to interrupt," he lied, "but could you tell us where to put all this stuff?" He gestured towards the heavy packs.

"Come on inside," Han said over his shoulder as he approached a large, decrepit-looking ship that was dominating most of the space. Anakin was stunned; he had pictured something nice, roomy, or at least vaguely impressive.

"That's the Millennium Falcon?" Padme said, looking thoroughly disgusted.

"We paid thirteen thousand credits for this hunk of junk?" Leia said, almost amused. "I'd like to see you take it into hyperspace, but it probably wouldn't get off of the ground without exploding!"

"Yeah, laugh all you want," Han said sarcastically ("Who's laughing?" Padme muttered). "You won't find it funny when I get you to Coruscant in record time. Just come on in, there are some hatches inside where you can put your luggage. That's not what they're made for, but they'll do."

"I wonder what they're really made for," Anakin said aloud, but he never got his answer. The twins headed inside after Chewbacca, pausing to put away their own luggage and that of their parents before heading to the main part of the ship. Tools lay about in random boxes; it seemed as though the Falcon was a work in process.

"Where do you suppose we're supposed to sit?" Luke asked his sister.

"I don't know about you, but I want to be in the cockpit when we take off," she laughed, "just to see how 'well' Han does. What he doesn't realize is that with all that bragging, he was giving me the license to give him a hard time when he messes it all up." She smiled, thinking of the look on his face.

"What you don't realize," Luke replied as he checked his lightsaber yet again, "is that he's only giving you a hard time because he likes you. I've got a bad feeling about this, Leia, like you might be getting yourself into an even bigger mess. And you know what kind of life Mom and Dad lead," he said knowingly. "I really don't think that'd be in your best interest."

"Listen to yourself, Luke. You're starting to sound like Master Kenobi. 'I've got a bad feeling about this,'" she said, mocking her brother's concern. "I'm just picking on him, that's all. I'm not talking about leaving the Order; I don't like Han, Han doesn't like me." Leia made her way to the cockpit.

Luke sighed. He had just been looking out for his sister. Knowing a lot more about the way guys thought than Leia, Luke could almost be certain that Han had a crush on her. But his sister had a good head on her shoulders; all the Jedi masters were always speaking fondly of her. It was just the combination of his brotherly instinct and the trip to Coruscant that was making him jumpy. "The Falcon's about to take off!" his mother yelled.

Luke got up and followed her. No, it wasn't just him, he knew with a pang of dread. This whole experience wouldn't end well. He could feel his heart sinking as he thought of his family, falling apart. After all, sometimes even Luke Skywalker detested being a Jedi Padawan.


	4. And They're Off!

"Well, this is it," Anakin said, wringing his hands. "The moment of truth. Time for us to see whether or not it was worth the thirteen thousand credits. Time to sink or swim, kid, sink or swim," he said absently, patting Han on the shoulder.

"No pressure, of course," Leia smirked. "Nervous?"

"Sweetheart, nervous isn't even in my vocabulary," Han drawled. "I've done this a million times, each time better than the last. You really think a little trip to another dinky rock is gonna change that?"

Han checked his calculations, preparing the ship for takeoff. Padme reached out for Anakin's (human) hand, seeking comfort in his firm grip. He gave her a reassuring smile, wishing he could believe it himself. Luke was actually excited for once; even in his Jedi career, he had never gotten the adventure he craved.

"Here we go," Han muttered, and with a soft humming the ship came to life. Looking out the cockpit window, the Skywalkers just managed to glimpse the rocky terrain of Tatooine leaving them behind as the Falcon lifted itself off the ground. Han let out a whoop of excitement; two pairs of chocolate brown eyes did a full circle roll. It was a smooth flight at first, but things started going wrong as soon as they were in the vast star-speckled blackness of space.

"Will you be taking her up to lightspeed now?" Padme asked.

"Yup," Han replied mechanically. "So long as the hyperdrive doesn't cop out on us. It has a tendency to do that," he offered as an explanation to a confused Padme. "But it looks like it should be fine. Just let me calculate this, and…"

Other than a slight clunking sound, nothing happened. "Darn thing's busted…I'll be right back," Han added as he left for the back of the Falcon. "Chewie, you're coming with me." The Wookiee howled, and it must've meant yes, because he followed Han as they left for the rest of the ship.

"I'll take the controls," Anakin offered. "After all, I'm a pretty decent pilot myself. Too bad the ship I have wasn't big enough for all of us, otherwise we wouldn't have had to pay all that money," Anakin chuckled to himself, "or put up with our, ah, captain, if you will."

There was silence. Luke fiddled with his belt, trying to get the lightsaber into a more comfortable position for sitting down. Leia stared wistfully out the window, wishing she could only be meditating or practicing with Master Itho instead of waiting for the hyperdrive to work again.

Padme was leaning over the back of Anakin's seat with her hands on his shoulders, watching him with a serene smile on her face. It was one of the few moments alone, well, almost alone that the couple had in a long time, and she intended to enjoy it. "This brings back memories," she reminisced. "You and me, going to Naboo, you always protecting me…" She massaged the back of his neck and shoulders, her mind going back to the days when they'd first fallen in love.

"You might not want to do that, Mom," Luke teased, "Or else Dad might fall asleep behind the wheel and send us hurtling into a supernova." Padme laughed softly, a melodic sound amid the silence of space.

"I wouldn't do that!" Anakin yelled in mock outrage. "I'd send us hurtling into a planet. Much more entertaining that way," he joked. Luke and Leia laughed; Padme smiled and shook her head.

All of a sudden, the Millennium Falcon tilted unexpectedly, causing Padme to tighten her grip on Anakin's shoulder. Anakin grabbed the controls calmly and fought to keep the Falcon in balance. During this time there were several strange noises; Leia and Luke strained their ears to try to catch what it was. At last the shaking stopped, along with the muffled sounds.

"What do you think it was?" Leia asked, concern on her face.

"We must've entered a small asteroid field," Anakin stated matter-of-factly. "The little ones banged up against the sides, causing the Falcon to tip. We just felt the effects more because of the way she's designed. There isn't any real damage, except for a few scratches, and she wasn't exactly gorgeous to begin with."

"That's not what I meant," she replied, more nervous than ever. "I kept hearing these strange noises. It's good to know everything's okay, but still, I really need to know what the sound was. Han's still not back yet, and I might just be being paranoid, but that doesn't seem like a good sign."

Leia got up and walked back to the area where Han had been working on the hyperdrive. "That's odd," she murmured to herself. Han was nowhere to be seen. Chewbacca was still working on a part of the ship, and Leia was about to ask him where Han was, until she heard the sound of a man's voice, weak with pain. Someone was giving Chewie directions on what needed to be done.

"That oughta do it," he said. Leia followed the voice to across the room, where at last she saw Han. He was slumped awkwardly against the side of the Millennium Falcon, his left hand clutching a spot on his right arm. His face was contorted into a grimace; Leia gasped, seeing dark red blood on his hand. "What are you doing here?" he asked when she approached him.

"I was worried about the noises I kept hearing, so I came back here to check it out," she said while kneeling down beside him. "And I'm glad I did. Your arm looks terrible! It must've happened during the asteroid field," she reasoned, more for her own benefit than for Han's.

"It's just a scratch," Han protested.

Leia pried each of his fingers away from the spot, one by one; Han was proving to be as stubborn as she was, refusing to let go. At last she could see that the injury was a small puncture wound, caused by a tool that had undoubtedly flown through the air and into his arm. "Just a scratch?" she said, raising her eyebrows. Despite Han's constant replies of, "I'm fine, really," Leia proceeded to rip the sleeve of her Jedi robes into several bandages. Wiping the blood clean of the affected area, she grabbed onto the silver end of the tool and pulled.

Han winced; the pain was incredibly sharp, but his arm had stopped throbbing and it was beginning to sink in that Leia had not only helped him out, she wasn't afraid of a little (or a lot of) blood. "There we go," Leia said, tying the bandage around his arm tenderly. Surprised by her sudden compassion, he was almost sorry that it was over.

"Well," Han said, smiling despite his injury. "Looks like I was wrong about you, Leia. At first, I thought that anyone with your emotional capacity surely must be a droid. Perhaps you're human after all. Thanks."

"Thanks?" Leia laughed. "I was expecting more smart remarks from you. I think you could've done much better than that droid line. In fact, I'm almost disappointed."

"Oh, how I hate to disappoint you," Han replied with a smirk. "If we're lucky, maybe this bandage will hold until we get into hyperspace, which shouldn't be more than a few minutes."

"Oh, come on, like you could tie a better knot than that," Leia challenged.

"You're right," he agreed, surprising Leia (and delighting her as well). "We better get going. Chewie fixed the hyperdrive just in time, right as we reached the best route to Coruscant." Han pulled himself up with his good arm, then fell back against the wall; Leia offered him her arm, and at last he managed to stand.

The two of them made their way into the control room, Han still clutching her arm for support; Padme raised her eyebrows but remained silent. "I hate to take away your authority, Master Skywalker," he said as he moved to take his seat back, "but the hyperdrive's just been fixed, and I'll have to send her into lightspeed right away if we want to get there on time."

"Just when I was having fun," Anakin teased, pretending to pout.

Once again Han took over the controls. "Make sure it's all working properly while I make the jump," he yelled to Chewbacca, who gave his usual response of howling unrecognizably. Han flipped a switch, shouted, "Here we go!" and suddenly they were zooming into a tunnel of blue and white, burning like fire.

The family was speechless, eyes locked onto the view; but Han was focusing his attention somewhere else. He was watching Leia as she gazed into the brightness of hyperspace, brown eyes wide with enjoyment. The colors outside of the window were dancing on her face, making her look like something from a painting. Maybe he wasn't so crazy, Han thought, thinking she was beautiful.

But then they were at their destination; for once Han was almost sorry to be on time. The magic was broken, and he was still staring at the side of her head, a soft smile threatening to break out across his face. "What?" Leia snapped, noticing where he was casting his gaze.

"Nothing," Han shot back as the glorious planet of Coruscant came into view.


	5. Staring at the Wreckage

Leia walked along the city streets, pausing to look up at the busy speeder traffic overhead. It was the party's third day in Coruscant, and so far things had gone quite smoothly; Anakin's Jedi council meeting was going on currently, and Padme had finished her business with the Senate. Luke and Han were busy looking at some of the speeders and other ships for sale. There was no one to stay behind and monitor the quarters they had been staying in but Leia, and she had been happy for an excuse to avoid her brother's warnings.

Not to mention the extremely awkward and unwanted attention of Han Solo. She was truly sick and tired of his insults and sarcasm, even if they were witty and remotely funny. The trip through hyperspace had really upset her, and even now she still remembered the way he'd been watching her.

Leia continued to ramble through Coruscant in this distracted manner until she saw a familiar sight: a young man who was in his twenties, wearing a long dark brown coat. It was obvious that he had been made a Jedi knight recently. A singed bit of hair stuck out at an odd angle from his short red haircut.

"Excuse me," Leia said with an air of professional calm, "but I think we have something in common. I'm Leia, and I'm Master Itho's Padawan. You were just admitted into the order?"

The man nodded. "Yeah, in fact it was yesterday. I'm Ekel," he added, shaking her hand. "Nice to meet you. Funny how with such a small number of Jedi knights you always tend to find new ones whom you've never met. What brings you to Coruscant?"

"I'm an escort for Senator Padme Amidala," she improvised.

"Ah, yes," he sighed as they continued to roam the streets. "She's a good woman, always concerned for the people. I remember when she made peace with the Gungens, a race that for so long held a grudge against the Naboo. It was amazing, really, and she was only fourteen! Never in my life have I known such an extraordinary person!" he said with gusto. Inside, Leia was full of pride.

"Yeah, I get to spend a lot of time with her, and she's all that and more. Well, I'd better be going. It was nice to meet you, Ekel, and congratulations," she said before she left for the apartments.

Leia walked into the lift; the metal doors sliding shut behind her as she pushed the button that would take her to the apartments. She stepped out of the lift, then walked to the end of the corridor where their room was. "That's odd," she murmured as she reached for the doorknob. "The alarm must've been off."

But as she opened the door, she sharply drew breath. The alarm had been ripped off of the wall, strewn on the floor with dirt. There were scorch marks everywhere; 'Blaster fire,' she thought. She set down a bag that she'd been carrying with her before carefully moving into the living room, which had been stripped of all of its most valuable contents. Leia swore as she stepped over fallen debris and belongings that hadn't been worth the trouble to steal. As she made her way to the safe where they had kept her money, she heard the door open behind her.

"Ack!" Han yelled as Leia's lightsaber swooshed in front of his face, the cool blue reflecting on his horrified face.

"Sorry!" Leia gasped as a small chunk of his hair fluttered to the ground. "I thought you were a robber. You see, I just got back, and everything's been gone through…" Luke entered the room behind him, letting out a low whistle as he surveyed the damage. Padme looked strained, nervously clutching Anakin's arm. The Jedi master had his (human) hand balled into a fist.

The family stood together, waiting in silence for someone to speak; after a while Padme opened her mouth and said, "I…I don't know what to say…" No one made any move to clear away the fallen objects in their path. Luke stared at the torn Jedi robes, the smashed vase that his mother had filled with flowers only that morning. But Leia was already on the move.

"Honey, be careful!" Padme cautioned. "There's broken glass everywhere, and I don't think it'll help you to train with a puncture wound. Why don't you just stay with us? There's really nothing you can do."

Leia didn't respond, even when her mother followed her. She was too busy thinking about what else might have been stolen. She had to get to that safe. The safe was where they had all their money for food and necessary supplies, not to mention where Anakin had stored the thirteen thousand credits that he was going to use to pay Han when they left Coruscant.

But it was just as she feared; the safe door swung on one hinge, the other broken clean off, making a scraping noise that caused the hairs on the back of her neck to stand on end. All that was left of the credits were a few low valued coins lying scattered on the floor. Padme put a hand on her shoulder.

"It's not your fault," she offered, noticing the expression on her daughter's face. It was a mix of confusion and guilt, of disappointment and hurt. After a lot of Padme's gentle coaxing, Leia was finally willing to go back to the others.

"Well, Han," Anakin was saying, "I'm sorry. They took all the credits when they left with our stuff, and tracing them might reveal our family situation. Say, would it be all right with you if you brought us back to Tatooine and then we paid you? I have all of the money back at the house."

"Works for me," Han said gruffly, "so long as I get paid. Let's get a move on, then. We better get back soon, or I might tack on a couple extra thousand." Luke trudged out the door, casting one last glance at the wreckage. Padme and Anakin followed. Leia was going to let Han go ahead, but he held the door for her. "Ladies first, or whatever it is they say. I'm not good with manners."

"That I can see," Leia said, not being able to resist. After all, the line seemed meant for the situation.

"You know something?" Han asked her as they followed her brother and parents down the hallway. "You're real brave. I know it sounds cheesy to say that, but you are. I've never met someone who can go through stuff like that and not be all shook up and nervous afterwards."

"Thanks, that's…nice," Leia muttered awkwardly. Padme called her and she came right away, glad to put some distance between herself and Han. So she wasn't there to notice him staring at her admiringly, then shaking his head as if to rid himself of the feelings he didn't know he was capable of.


	6. I've Got A Confession, My Friend

Han Solo was pacing the cockpit of the Millennium Falcon. The trip back to Tatooine was going as planned and it wouldn't be long before he would be safe with his fourteen thousand credits, counting the ones that Master Skywalker had added "for good measure." And by safe, he meant on the run again from the other scoundrels who were beginning to get jealous of him always having the limelight and trying to convince them that he hadn't just been paid handsomely.

He should have been worried about his ship or his life, or otherwise dreaming of those shiny credits. But instead here he was, thinking only of the Jedi code that seemed to interfere with all of his affairs.

Whenever he was around them, the code intruded on his life, causing mass chaos. He couldn't count how many times the Separatists had nearly ended the life of his beloved starship due to the fact that fighting "was not the Jedi way" and so in order to protect those not-so-innocent life forms, his pride had been damaged. Now things had gotten even worse with the arrival of the Skywalkers.

"I know it," he said to himself. "I accept it." Han was incredulous, realizing that admitting it would be his first step to recovery. "I accept the fact that I cannot control this, but I can control my actions. I know it, but I'm not going to act on it." It sounded good, and it gave him momentary relief.

But Han's mind was quickly cleared of all the positive mantras he could muster and instantly filled with the cold, biting truth. 'You want to act on it,' a dark voice in his head cackled menacingly. 'You know that if given the chance, you would, and that would mean destroying the future of the one you…'

"No!" Han yelled, sweat running down his forehead. "I would never be so selfish, to take all that away…" It burned to know that the voice had been partially right: despite Han's good intentions, he knew that his self-control could not be enough.

There was a sliding noise coming from the place where the cockpit was connected to the rest of the ship's body. That could only mean one thing: someone was coming in. Han quickly regained his composure, attempting to lean nonchalantly against the dashboard. The sight of Chewbacca in the doorway, bending forward to fit, surprised him so much that he slipped and did a face plant into the cushion of the pilot's seat.

Chewbacca howled in concern, extending a fur-covered paw to help Han to his feet. "Sorry," he gasped; rubbing his face where the cushion had broke his fall. "I guess it's a good thing that it was there to stop me from hitting the floor. Still…did it leave a pattern on my face?" Han wondered aloud, looking into the slightly reflective front window to check. After confirming that his facial features were still intact and no lasting damage had been done, he turned back to his Wookiee friend.

"It's not just you that's got me like this," he confessed. "I've just been thinking…I was talking to myself before you came in, and for a minute, I thought you were…someone else. Speaking of someone else, there's someone who's been on my mind lately. Mind if I talk to you about it?"

The Wookiee gave him a sympathetic moan and took the chair next to him.

"You see," Han began but stopped, noticing the Wookiee's smug expression. "Will you knock it off?" he demanded. Chewie hung his head in mock sorrow, but eventually perked up when Han scratched the tip of his head. "Anyway, there's a person I know who I really admire. I mean, she…this person, is really brave and can do just about anything. I'm scared to tell them this because they might take it the wrong way, and I couldn't bear to go through life with them hating me. And it's really hard because I don't know what kind of person I am if I'm willing to lie to myself…"

"And who is this mysterious 'she' you so admire?" said a calm voice from the doorway. Han stood there gaping at the door. Apparently, he hadn't heard it slide open while he was pouring out his soul to Chewbacca. He was shocked, but also somewhat relieved because once again it was not whom he'd expected.

"Luke," he grumbled. 'Should've known."

"I for one would like to know more about this female who has been deemed worthy of your admiration," he replied with a tone of mere amusement. "Seeing as there are only two females aboard who could possibly be causing this utter fascination, I would guess that it was either my mother or sister."

"You're right," Han said cheerily while his mind raced as he put together a plan. "When I saw the way your mother handled the news of the break-in I was highly impressed. She really is everything they say she is. Never in my life have I met such a brave and competent individual as Padme Amidala."

Luke chuckled. "You may be a good liar, Han, but I'm a better Jedi. I knew from the moment I entered the room that you were thinking about her, and no, I don't mean my mother. It's rather obvious that this so-called admiration of this individual is perhaps covering other feelings…?"

"If I weren't so desperate," Han said bitterly, "I would beat the heck outta you for even suggesting that. But unfortunately I am, and fortunately for you, I'd be too chicken to take on a powerful Jedi knight, even at Padawan stage. Which mind you, I'm still confused about. Is it Youngling, Jedi, Padawan, or…"

He shot Han a look that said, 'Don't try and change the subject.'

"Right," Han said, crestfallen. "But what am I supposed to do?"

"I recommend you keeping it a secret from her. If she ever found out, well, what would she think of you? It just might be enough to make her question her own feelings, and I'm afraid she might even see it as a good thing instead of a bad one. I don't want all of the Skywalkers to…" A knock on the door caused Luke to take a casual pause and Han to jump out of his skin for the third time that day.

"Am I interrupting something?" Leia said politely.

"Not at all. In fact, I was just leaving," Luke replied, happy to get away from Han the Hopeless Case. "Later, Han, and remember what I told you!" Despite the carefree tone, he still shot the pilot a warning glance as he made for the back of the Falcon. Han felt himself sinking.

"You know, you could at least knock," Han said in a grumpy tone.

"I did," she replied smartly. Han felt himself turning red. "If you don't have any more intelligent remarks you'd like to share, it would be helpful if you could advise me on where to look for Tatooine." Han opened a small box, where a small handheld computer had been jammed in with some greasy snacks.

"There," he said, thrusting the computer at her. "It's all in there. Your basic planet charts, all your information about time and traveling distance, even some stuff about lightspeed. And since you're such a smart girl, well, I'll bet you can even figure out how to work it on your own," he finished in an attempt to recover from his careless blunder.

"Well, thanks," Leia said, rolling her eyes. "You know, it would be nice if you could have at least turned it on for me. Well, I do take pride in my independence. I suppose this'll have to do." Once she figured out how to get the computer to start, Han figured he had at least ten minutes during which he could prepare himself for his next comeback, preferably one that would discourage further conversation.

Unfortunately, he had a knack for being wrong. "What's the matter, my state-of-the-art technology not good enough for you?" he accused. Chewbacca left the room promptly, not wanting to be there when the sparks started to fly.

"No," she said curtly. "I just think that it's a waste to have the knowledge to find these things without computers and instead of using it wisely, letting machines do the work."

"Knowledge? I'm surprised you think I have any brains at all." Leia gave him a look that told him he had better start learning to accept compliments when he got them. "Okay, well, that's Tatooine there, the big brown one with nothing on it, and that large lump is the Skywalker mansion." Leia let out a soft laugh; it seemed as musical as Padme's had been when they were first headed to Coruscant. "Okay, so it's hardly a mansion, but it's bigger than where I lived…"

"Where did you live?" Leia asked him, genuinely curious. This sparked another discussion, which lasted for some time. After a while there was a break in the conversation, during which Han gathered his thoughts.

"You know what?" he said. "You're utterly impossible to lie to." Leia gave him a surprised look. "You always confess the truth on the spot, and it'd eat anyone alive to hide something from you for any more than a day. I don't know why I didn't see this before," he said, as if something had just clicked into place.

"Well, as for always telling the truth, I don't," Leia confessed. "As part of being a Jedi knight, I have to always remember the code and so wind up keeping my feelings separate from my acquaintances. It's almost like I've got two-thirds of the process down, but I just don't make that final connection."

Han looked at her, and was filled with respect for not just her alone but the entire Jedi order. Never had he once thought of how it must be for the Jedi to leave all of their possessions, live away from their families, and never start families of their own. He sympathized with Master Skywalker, imagining the young lovesick Padawan torn between his commitment to the Jedi life and Padme. And suddenly, Luke's warnings seemed so silly and insignificant. He knew at that moment, even on a night when everything he'd tried to explain had failed, exactly what to say. "I love you," he declared with so much openness that Leia was stunned.

She fought the urge to ask him 'What?' or 'Why?' knowing in the end it would only cause her further heartache. "I'm a Jedi," she said simply. "Han, I'm a Jedi. I can't," she said, casting him a sympathetic look.

"I'm not asking you to," he said, reaching out a hand as if to stroke her cheek, but thinking better of it and stopping short. "I just wanted to tell you that I love you, and no matter how many flaws you point out, no matter what you say, absolutely nothing can change that."

"Oh, Han," she sighed, leaning back in the uncomfortable chair, "what are we going to do?"

"We're not going to do anything. I'm going to keep myself from doing anything stupid, like trying to convince you to elope with me, which, sadly, is a possibility I have considered. You are going to rest easy knowing that I never once in my life lied to you," Han insisted.

"How can I rest easy," Leia begged, "knowing that you're pining over me?" She took a deep breath and got up from her chair. "Crazy, that what all of this is. Crazy talk caused by a lack of sleep. I am going to bed, and you should get some rest as soon as possible, seeing as you need it the most. Goodnight, Han," she said briskly as she strode out of the cockpit.

Luke was waiting for her on the other side of the door. "How'd it go?" he asked. Leia collapsed against the wall opposite her bother and slid down into a sitting position.

"Luke," she whispered, "Luke…he loves me…"

There was an awkward silence during which a brother felt sorry for his sister, going though such painful trials as this and a sister felt thankful that perhaps there were a few sane beings in this galaxy.


	7. Fools Rush Into Asteroid Fields

"Debt problems?" Master Skywalker asked Han the next morning. They were about to land on Tatooine, then Anakin would give him the credits and they would most likely never see each other again. Both parties were fairly happy about this, though Padme insisted that she would miss the sarcasm (only that which came from anyone else but Leia). "What debt problems?"

"Well…" Han said, staring at his highly interesting shoes, "I sort of owe some people a little bit of money…"

"Some people? A little bit of money?" Anakin threw up his hands. "Well, then again, it's not my place to question your judgement. So long as it doesn't cause any problems, I'm fine with paying you the fourteen thousand as well as an extra five hundred for the trouble with the break-in." Anakin stood up, patting Han on the shoulder as he left the cockpit. "At least I know I can trust you."

Han suddenly felt overwhelmingly guilty for what he'd said to Leia the night before. _I should have never burdened her with my feelings, _he thought angrily. As if it wasn't enough to be alone with his guilty conscience, Luke entered the cockpit soon after his father left. "Looks like my father hasn't figured it out yet," he snapped as soon as he entered the room.

"Figure what out?" Han said innocently. "Did Leia tell you bad stuff about me, cause if so I'll be really mad at her!"

"You, mad at my sister? If anyone should be mad, it should be her!" Luke yelled. "You told her you loved her, and now she's all confused. Leia thinks she might be in love with you, and she would've never said that if you hadn't told her how you felt, so don't get your hopes up." The smile faded from Han's face.

"Luke…" He ran a hand through his hair. "It's complicated…I really thought I was doing her a favor by telling her the truth. It was eating me up inside, Luke, and I couldn't go on like that. Every time I saw her face, I had so much trouble…fighting the overwhelming urge to take her into my arms and-"

"Woah!" Luke yelled. "Too much information, Han, too much information! I don't need to know about your fantasies of you and my sister being happily married with three children and overcoming hardships, like death and…" He sighed. "I'm rambling again. Just promise me one thing, Han."

"Sure, Luke," he said wearily. "Anything. I don't care."

"Promise me you won't do anything stupid…no wait, strike that. Promise me you won't go after my sister." Han put his hand over his heart in a serious manner that was quite unlike him, except for the fact that it was obviously sarcasm. "So, when exactly will we be getting to…"

Luke's voice trailed off as Leia came storming into the Falcon's cockpit. "There's something out there," she said, panting from the run, "and it's got a blaster." Han rushed to the dashboard, searching frantically for the right radar system. "There!" Leia yelled, pointing out an odd cluster of objects.

The objects were in fact several starships, owned by private parties as Han deducted from the illegal upgrades. He swore loudly, earning a few harsh looks from Leia and her parents who were just entering. "Sorry," he muttered. "It's just I recognize these ships, and these are not the type you'd like to get involved with."

"Well, don't keep us waiting, then!" Leia bellowed. "Who are they? Better yet, get us out of here first, then tell us."

"Sister, I can do both at once. It's called multitasking," he said, emphasizing each syllable. _This is the man who loves me, _Leia thought. Just as she was coming to terms with the fact that her social life had gone down the tubes and then realizing that Jedi did not need social lives, Han cut in with, "You're not going to like this, Master Skywalker, but I feel it necessary to tell you. These are bounty hunters."

"Bounty hunters? Bounty hunters!" Anakin yelled. "Why didn't you tell us you're a wanted man? What have you done? Wait, this ship isn't yours…you stole it!" he deduced (rather irrationally).

Leia grabbed Han by the collar, the height difference diminishing the effect. "Well, Flyboy, how are you going to get us outta this one? Huh?" Padme tried to calm her down, but this just aggravated Leia even more. "Mother, you don't know all he's done, what he said to me…"

"Sweetheart," Han choked, "if you'd kindly let go of me, I'd be able to keep Boba Fett from blowing us into a thousand tiny pieces." Leia loosened her grip, but seemed to almost push him back into his seat. Han took control, steering them around obstacles and keeping them out of blaster range.

"Boba Fett…" Anakin muttered. "Where have I heard that name before? Wait a minute…Obi-Wan mentioned him once. Apparently, he's a clone of the man who was used as a basis for the clone army, only he wasn't prematurely grown and developed into adulthood. So it's kind of like having an identical son. What did you do to upset him?"

"Master Skywalker," Han said, looking like the naughty little boy who'd been caught sneaking into the cookie jar, "Skywalker clan, all of you…I'm in debt, like I said before. I owe some money to…Jabba the Hutt." Han paused for a moment to dodge an asteroid, giving the Skywalkers a moment to gape. "Yeah, I know, he's one bad dude and I shouldn't be working with him, but I was paid well for smuggling. Now he's offering the lot of them loads of money to deliver me to him…alive."

"Well, that's good news, isn't it?" Leia said with a false tone of cheeriness. "They won't try to kill us, just take us prisoner because Han never gave them the money. I, for one, have gone from a state of total panic to a state of just plain panic, but not completely panicked…"

The rest of the family exchanged nervous glances. Master Skywalker took to watching through the main windshield as Han dodged asteroid after asteroid. _There shouldn't be this many here, _Anakin realized. "Son, I don't mean to question your flying capabilities, but shouldn't we be flying away from the asteroid field?"

"Exactly," he replied, not looking away from the radar screen. "Which is why we aren't. Boba would be insane to follow us through all this garbage. So that's it, he'll give up and we'll be safe on Tatooine. Genius plan, don't ya think?"

"I suppose so," Leia said under her breath. "Or maybe it's just plain psycho."


	8. The More You Argue, The More You Care

It was some time before Han's self-proclaimed foolproof plan would actually work. After about twenty minutes of near collisions with the massive gray boulders, during which there was an uneasy silence broken only by Leia's sarcastic comments and Han's smart aleck retorts, Boba Fett finally gave up and headed in the direction of Coruscant. Leia breathed a sigh of relief.

"It's not over yet, sister," Han said as he pulled them out of the asteroid field. "We're almost to Tatooine, but there's two paths you can take. The first is a direct route to where you live, but it might take several timeparts. The second is much shorter, seeing as we go to lightspeed, but we'd have to backtrack in order to reach our destination. That would take about half as much time. So, what'll it be?"

"The short way," Padme said instantly. "We all need to get back home desperately, and it'll ensure that Boba won't be following us." The others nodded, and Han set the course for the far side of Tatooine. Padme and Anakin went back to what could be considered their quarters, whereas Luke planned to stay behind with his sister. But Padme insisted that he needed to come get packed to go home.

So Leia was left alone. Stuck in the cockpit with no one but Han and Chewbacca.

She would've been just fine there, minding her own business, but Han kept giving her lovesick glances every time he thought she had her head turned. It wasn't long before a disgusted Chewbacca tramped out of the cockpit. "Hey, where do you think you're goin'?" Han shouted at his retreating back. Chewbacca growled a reply. "I was not! Besides, you'd be doing it too if you were in my shoes!"

"I can't say I'd blame him," Leia said with a meaningful glance at Han.

"Oh, I get it," he shot back. "You're still thinkin' bout what happened last night, aren't ya? You must think you're a whole lot better than I am. Well, I've got news for you. It doesn't matter whether you feel the same thing for me as I feel for you, because like I said, we're not doing anything about it!"

"Han…" Leia said, massaging her forehead as if to ward off a massive headache. "I'm not saying that I'm better than you or that I can do better, because in case you haven't noticed, I'm not ready to leave the Jedi order. But I highly disagree with the way you handled things. You shouldn't have told me your feelings just yet, and you only did because deep down you thought I'd admit that I loved you when you confessed."

Han banged his fist down on the dashboard. "I just didn't want to lie to you! You mean a lot to me, Leia, and I could never stand to hurt you." This sent Leia into peals of laughter, but they sounded hollow and mocking.

"Tell me, Han, if you care so much about me, if you really don't want to hurt me, why is it you're arguing with me right now? All you ever seem to do is fight, and you never let a comment go unsaid. Tell me why. I mean it, Han, I really want to know. Why do we have to bicker all the time?"

Han raised his eyebrows. "You want to know?"

"Yes," Leia said calmly. "That is, after all, what I just said."

"Do you really want to know?"

"Han," she said, looking him in the eye. "Skip the little kid stuff and answer me."

"Because," Han laughed, leaning back with his hands behind his head. "I love to see you get all riled up and upset. It's really quite amusing, the way you act all indignant. You won't understand because it's kinda a little boy thing. Pick on the girl they like, thin line between love and hate, all that jazz."

Leia stared at him in complete disbelief. Then, almost in spite of herself, she laughed. Soon Han was laughing with her, and Leia laughed even harder, falling from her chair onto the floor beneath it. She wasn't the only one: losing grip from his hysteria, Han tumbled down next to her.

"You're an idiot," she managed to say as the last bout of hysterics wore off. "You're such a total and complete idiot. We're both idiots for always getting on each other's cases all the time, and yet, life just wouldn't be as entertaining without it."

"I know," he replied. Then, his face suddenly lit up, his expression that of a child about to call his sibling on something they'd just done wrong. "Leia, you know what I just realized? Back there, when you were talking about me handling the situation wrong, you said that I thought you'd admit you loved me. Well, Leia, how come you never said that you don't love me?"

"What the heck are you getting at, Flyboy?" Leia snapped. "I never said I did, either."

"Oh, such a shame," Han teased. "Denial is a pathetic way to live, constantly lying to yourself. But don't worry, Leia, admitting it is the first step to recovery. I'll help you out." He continued to smirk at her, as if to goad her into confessing her feelings. Which, of course, Leia was still convinced she didn't have.

"That's it, I'm leaving. If you can't behave in a civilized manner, well, I'm not going to let that rub off on me," she insisted, moving to get up. As she headed for the door, Han caught up with her, grabbing her arm. She whirled around; no doubt to tell him off, but Han was too quick for her. He didn't think about what he was doing, or he might've not even bothered. He wouldn't regret it until after it was done. Han moved in closer to her, and quickly, lightly kissed her cheek.

Leia smiled slightly at first, hand going instinctively to the spot where his lips had been for a sweet (albeit brief) moment. But as rudely as if she'd been slapped in the face, reality dawned on her and she stopped. "Not going to do anything about it, Han?" she said over her shoulder as she left, but the taunting manner in which she said it didn't sound like her at all.

Han slapped his forehead the minute she closed the door. "You ruined it," he said to the control panel. "She was almost willing to admit she liked you, and you blew it all by being a selfish child." _That's not true, _he thought suddenly. "Oh, who am I kidding?" he wondered aloud. "She doesn't love me. Never has never will. Great, Han, just great," he muttered as he turned to the control panels once again.

"You finally find the right woman," he said as he glanced at the readouts, "who's perfect in every way, even in her flaws. And she's a Jedi knight."

Morning would find him slumped in his chair, irritable from a night of sleeping in an uncomfortable position and from too many dreams involving jumping into deeper pits of blackness without giving it a second thought.


	9. To Add A Few More Loose Ends

It was late afternoon. Rays of light were beaming down on the line of struggling Jedi as they dragged their luggage through the coarse sand. Master Skywalker paused to wipe the sweat off his forehead, letting go of the pack he had brought. The ride home had not been in the least bit pleasant. The backtracking that Han did brought them through a tight area, and there was a tense atmosphere in the cockpit.

He sighed. "Something tells me that whatever your masters consider to be training couldn't be any worse than this."

"Yeah," Luke muttered. "At least on the way there we had some help. Where did Han run off to, anyway? Funny how he has an uncanny knack for disappearing whenever it's convenient for him." Luke kicked at the sand as he fought to keep from sinking: the added weight of his bag was unbearable.

Padme had gone ahead to their home without them, disguised in a small speeder so as not to raise alarm. She suggested that Luke, Leia, and Anakin proceed to the house on foot, confusing anyone who saw and also attracting less attention. No one would notice a few overburdened Jedi in the heat of the sun.

Or so she thought. "Civilization!" Leia screamed as soon as the pale outlines of the town near which they lived came into view. "Food…rest…home," she panted, dropping her bags and running ahead of her brother and sister. Her whoops of joy could still be heard even as she disappeared, legs kicking up sand behind her.

Anakin smiled as he picked up his daughter's belongings. "Funny how at the first mention of a city, even as small as the ones on Tatooine, she forgets her family and heads straight for it," he chuckled. But there was a slight expression of worry on his face. "I do hope she keeps her distance."

"Or what?" Luke asked anxiously. "She wouldn't do anything rash. Would she?"

"I don't know," Anakin admitted. "But I have a bad feeling about this."

Meanwhile, Padme was sitting in the speeder, her scarf trailing behind her as the wind whipped it about. She was completely alone in the craft, which had been set at autopilot for the short journey to the Skywalker home. Nothing seemed to be able to ruin this moment. The sun beat down on her head, but her disguise kept her cool. She was actually enjoying the ride, despite the threat of discovery.

Without warning, the speeder made an abrupt turn down a dark alleyway. 'That's funny,' she thought. 'I don't recall ever using this road to get home. I suppose it's a shortcut Han programmed into the speeder.' But it soon became apparent that the craft was not headed for her home.

Or in the process of slowing down. It whipped through the market, overturning carts and nearly crashing into walls. Padme grabbed the controls, yanking at a long metal emergency brake. "Why…won't…this…thing…MOVE!" she yelled with a final tug. The brake moved, but broke off into her hand. "Great," she muttered. "Why is it that people always seem to have it in for me?"

In a last ditch effort, she pulled out her blaster. Jamming the barrel into the control panel with all her might, Padme broke through the metal to the wires it protected. She yanked out the more promising ones, and with a trick Han had used once, she managed to figure out what controlled movement.

But even as she managed to find the steering system, she found her accuracy was impaired due to the clumsy movements of the rogue speeder. "When all else fails," she said to herself as the speeder took a sharp turn towards a wall. The townspeople screamed, assuming that she wouldn't make it. Padme leapt from the craft just as it crashed into the wall, reducing it to rubble.

"Han didn't program that," she said breathlessly, her face covered with soot and her legs weak from the shock of the landing. She had wound up face down in the street. A woman offered her water, and she gratefully accepted. "Please…" Padme choked, and the woman returned, wringing her hands in anxiety. "Get a message to Han Solo…he's captain of the Millennium Falcon. Tell him…that the autopilot failed…but I'm okay, I'm okay," she finished. The woman ran off, nearly running out of her sandals, and Padme closed her eyes.

Han was working on the Falcon with Chewbacca when the message got to him. "Check the hyperdrive," he yelled to the Wookiee as he left to talk to the woman from the village. "I think that last run mighta wore it out." He wiped his hands on a rag as he headed out into the open.

"Captain Solo," said the flustered woman. "There was an accident in the city quite recently. An incident involving a speeder. There was only one passenger, and she escaped with some minor scrapes. But she told me to run here and find you. She wants me to tell you that there was something wrong with the autopilot."

Han's mind was racing with both excitement and fear. Padme had been in a speeder accident, but she would be okay. Luke, Leia and Anakin probably didn't know yet, so he should go find them and tell them what had happened. Then again, Padme was the type to not make a big deal out of things. She might've actually had injuries from the explosion. And there was still the matter of the autopilot…

"Wait here with the Falcon," Han ordered. "I'm going to see the man who I bought that speeder from. Perhaps he'll shed a little light on the matter of the auto pilot instructions. Oh, and before I forget," he added, tossing her a coin, "here's something for bringing me the message. Thanks."

Han ran off to the place where he'd rented Padme's craft. Padme herself was resting in a nearby inn. Anakin and Luke, oblivious to the tragedy that had just befallen her, had decided to continue ahead rather than wait for Leia.

Which left Leia Skywalker, alone in the city. She was admiring the many hand-carved necklaces that were being sold at a stall. She noted that none of them were half as beautiful as the one her father made for her, but still pretended to be interested. "How much?" she asked.

She was so preoccupied with the conversation that she didn't notice him come up behind her until after he spoke. "Leia Skywalker!" She jumped at the sudden use of her real name; normally she went under an alias. "So good to see you here. In fact you're just the person I'm looking for."

"Chancellor Palpatine?" said a flustered Leia. "Sorry, I didn't notice you there. What brings you to Tatooine, and how do you know my name?"

"That will all be explained in time," Palpatine reasoned as he guided Leia by the arm. "Come have something to eat. You look starved! We can head down to a little café I've heard wonderful things about. There's some things we really ought to discuss…" And with that the politician herded the Jedi into a deserted-looking pub, casting a nervous glance over his shoulder.


	10. The More The Dark Drips Through Her

There was a chill in Leia's bones as they entered the pub, a chill that she knew would never settle unless she could escape from the Chancellor. Something about him, whether it was the fact that he had been in office since who knows when, or simply his unwanted presence bugged her. It wasn't like her feelings toward Han, more a mild case of irritation that occasionally gave way. The thought of Palpatine in comparison to the rather handsome pilot sent further shivers down her spine. Han would win, hands down.

But no, it was something more than that. "Would you like anything to drink, dear?" The old man's voice sounded kind to the normal ear, but to Leia it was shrill and uninviting. She also remembered what it'd been like when Luke had drunk before. She wasn't keen on the idea of revealing personal secrets to the Chancellor.

"No thanks," she declined. Palpatine smiled.

"A wise decision, my dear," he said, and Leia felt sick. She was beginning to wonder whether her brother and parents knew where she was. What about Han, she thought, did he know? More importantly, did he care? "I'll skip the small talk," the politician's voice cut into her thoughts, "as we have more important matters to discuss. Leia, you are a highly advanced Jedi, and it is high time that you were made a knight."

"Listen," she pleaded. "My fa- the people I'm travelling with, they don't know where I am, and if you're just talking promotions, I really don't-"

"Your father and brother are fine." Leia was nonplussed: since when did anyone know about her family? "As is the Captain Solo, who, forgive me if I am mistaken, you are currently in love with. However, your mother was in a speeder accident earlier today. If all went as planned, she's beyond recovery."

Leia could hardly believe her ears. "What do you mean, if all went as planned? I would assume that you were telling me that you sabotaged my mother's craft and attempted to kill her," she said, panic rising along with bile in her throat. "Chancellor, a man of your status…why?"

"All will be revealed in time," he replied, arms outstretched. "Your mother is beyond recovery, but all limits can be broken, if the right power is used. Come, we will discuss this further at my home."

"No!" Leia shouted. "I will not go anywhere with you. I refuse-"

The man struck before she could finish. Instantly, the poison entered Leia's blood, fogging her mind and weakening her limbs. She fell to the ground, unconscious. Palpatine snickered; the venom wasn't potent enough to kill, but it could render most life forms defenseless for up to a week. Throwing the Jedi onto his shoulder, he tipped the barman a few credits for keeping quiet about the attack. He dragged Leia to a speeder out back, got on, and headed off.

Han Solo was just leaving the speeder rental when Palpatine and Leia were reaching the old warehouse the Chancellor had recently acquired. He swore under his breath, remembering the look on the man's face when he demanded that he tell him who gave him the speeder. Some bloody politician, he thought. Of all the lame deals he'd gotten in his life, this was the worst.

He was cut off from the exit as two Jedi male blondes ran directly into him. "Luke! Anakin!" Han stuttered. "Man, I am so glad to see you guys! I guess you heard about Padme, huh? I got a few answers as to where that speeder came from. Some Palpatine guy bought a couple…"

All he got in response were two blank stares. "Padme?" Master Skywalker said anxiously. "What happened to her? Is she all right? We're looking for Leia." With that sentence, worry replaced the annoyance on Han's face.

"Leia's gone missing?" He swore again. "I'll bet this has something to do with Padme's speeder malfunctioning. She's okay, but it was pretty close. If she weren't so brave I don't know what would've happened."

"There were two speeders taken?" Master Skywalker said calmly.

"Yeah," Han said tensely. "Both taken by this Chancellor Palpatine. One of them was Padme's, and from the sound of things it was set to detonate, and take its occupant with it. Luckily, it takes more than a hunk of junk like that to bring her down. I think that Palpatine programmed it. Wait," he paused. "You aren't thinkin' that Palpatine's makin' his getaway on this thing, are ya?"

"That would make sense," Luke replied, the first thing he'd said since his sister's disappearance. "And I think that perhaps, if Palpatine is behind the speeder incident, he might also be behind Leia's disappearance. Han, do you know how to track his vehicle?"

"Are you kidding? All I gotta do is get the tracking hardware from the broken one and-" The smuggler was cut off as Luke dragged him toward the speeder shop. There were a few lying around in the open lot. Han cut one of the chains with Luke's lightsaber, and they all got on. The shopkeeper came out, swearing at them in some other language. "We'll return it!" Han yelled as they left the lot.

Leia had finally woken up. She was in the warehouse, with no idea where she was or how she'd gotten there. As her senses came back to her along with her memories, she regained a valuable ally: the Force had come back to her, and she could sense that her brother, father and Han were coming towards her, no doubt to save her. Leia groaned despite the prospect of help. So much for Han thinking she was brave.

She suddenly became aware of another presence, but this was not comforting. In fact, the fact that someone with the knowledge of the Force was here with her was quite unnerving. She wanted desperately to reach her weapon, but she felt chained, trapped in this room. Looking at her hands, she saw no form of bondage.

"An old Sith trick," Palpatine's voice echoed in the empty factory. "There is no chain. You are perfectly capable of breaking free, if your mind is strong enough. Ordinarily, it would not have worked on one so powerful in the Force as you, but your mind was weakened by the poison."

Leia struggled and found she was able to break free. Her lightsaber was still on her belt. Why would Palpatine or more correctly, this Sith want to leave her with any weapon? He must have thought that it would be useless, what with the Force still on her side, she thought. "Who are you?" she demanded. "What do you want from me?"

"For years, Leia, I have watched you," he replied, a slight tone of admiration in his voice. "You and your twin brother alike were both highly in tune with the Force, even at a young age. It was no surprise that you would be trained as your father had been. I'll admit, the real surprise was that Anakin raised you.

"He allowed himself to know you and love you, despite the harsh truth that the Jedi order would eventually tear you away from him. Anakin led two lives and played two roles, acting as both a mentor and father to you.

"There was a time when I thought that Anakin could be turned to the Dark Side of the Force. He was young, reckless, and in love with a senator. I seized the opportunity, and plagued his sleep with troubling nightmares of his Padme, dying in childbirth. I thought he was weak-minded. I thought grief would overcome him. I thought he would be swallowed in darkness." He paused to clear his throat.

"This will hurt you, Leia, but your father killed. He killed an innocent man, one who told him there was no way to save his wife. Padme found him, weeping in frustration beside the slain body. Her love saved him and pulled him back to the light. But this did not satisfy me. I had brought a decent man to kill, and I had turned a human to a monster. But I had no heir, no apprentice, no Padawan to train in the ways of the Sith. There was nothing for me, except for the child.

"Or as we now know, children. I watched you and your brother. Luke is as competent a Jedi as any, but he lacks the patience that both sides of the Force, Dark or Light require to be used skillfully. And there was another thing," he added with a twisted smile.

"Hatred," he purred, and Leia winced at the sound. "You were always the angry one, eh? Always fighting with your brother, arguing with Solo, that was the key. I knew at once that you were the one I sought after, the one I must take as my Padawan and take under my wing. So I sent out messengers. I told the burglars how to reach the Skywalker apartment. I tipped off Boba Fett and the other bounty hunters that Solo was aboard your ship. I rigged your dear mother's speeder to crash. The only thing I didn't do was make you and Solo fall in love, which, in the end, worked out for the best."

"No," she moaned. "I don't want to believe it. This isn't true. You're not Palpatine. Who are you?" she asked again. The cold was filling her up, and she longed for a source, any source of warmth and care.

"I am Darth Sideous," he declared. "Lord of the Sith. But you, you shall refer to me always as Master."

"Why should I?" she shot back. Her head was held high, her eyes remained free of all tears, but inside she was drowning, sinking into the blackness. "You need me. You said so yourself, without an heir you could never rule. You couldn't sway my father, and you cannot sway me. What could you give me? What is it I would receive?"

"Endless power is usually enough," the Sith barked. "But that is not what you seek. There was something else in you, Leia, something besides your overwhelming ability to hate. It was your ability to love, and with all your heart." Leia was sinking, falling into a hole, but his words were so sweet…he could save her, if she let him…

"Join me, Leia," he pleaded. "Slay your brother, he was never worthy of you. Destroy your weak father. He could never keep the Jedi code, and you would follow soon after if you remained with the order. Disown your mother. Cast off your family. Destroy the Jedi, break the Republic apart, and we would rule the new galaxy. The Empire, Leia, a world run by Sith. Do all of this, and I will give you Solo."

"W-what?" gasped Leia. She wasn't sure if she had understood him, but his words were slowly penetrating the darkness…he could make it go away…she could have the one she loved…

"You could spend eternity with him. I could always use more heirs, and as a Sith I would allow you to marry. Think of it, Leia, giving birth to his children, who would be raised as Sith Padawans. You and Han would rule after my death. You want him, Leia. So be it. Join me."

Leia was drowning. Solo…he would give her Solo…Han would be hers…strike Luke down…destroy Anakin…disown Padme…it was all so impossible, yet so tempting, she thought, remembering the kiss…

Leia fell to her knees before Darth Sideous. "Yes," she choked. "Yes…my Master…"

She was bowing before him; bowing to the cackling Sith who had declared her his Padawan, when there came a scream of anguish from the doorway. He was standing there, terror on his face, contorted beyond recognition by pain. Tears were falling from his eyes and onto his tan skin as he cried out, "LEIA!"

Darth Sideous' Padawan raised her head. "Han?"


	11. Return, Redemption, Revelations

There was a second in which he doubted; a second in which in which he could hardly swallow the concept of what had just gone on. But the next thing Han knew, Leia was getting to her feet, stumbling towards him. "It's okay," she croaked, with a voice so hoarse that Han could hardly believe her despite how much he wanted to. "Did you hear all of that?"

"I don't think I heard everything," Han said slowly. "But I heard enough. Enough to know that you just agreed to be Darth Sideous' Padawan because he was going to give you the freedom you wanted."

"Then don't you see?" Leia pleaded, grabbing onto his arm. "The future, our future, Han…it'll be better this way. You say you love me. In the society we live in, we would never have a chance. It's forbidden among the Jedi, but not in the Sith. You and I could have everything we wanted."

"So you're actually willing to lose Luke, destroy your father and leave your mother with nothing?" Han shot back. "I for one don't think that anything would be worth that kind of sacrifice, even though everything you said sounds so wonderful. Do you really want to do this?"

Leia bowed her head, looking dejected but not broken. She could feel the presence of the Force along with that of the man she had just declared her master. But most of all, she felt the cold recede from her for this first time in hours. The source of her new found warmth and light was directly in front of her, and on its way to rescue her. She could even feel it lying in a hospital bed, recovering from a speeder accident. These people were a part of her, and she could never give that up for anything.

An idea struck her as she contemplated Han's question. "No," she answered at last. She remained in the same position until she felt the anger subside in her. Then, drawing her lightsaber, she turned and struck Palpatine.

Or, more correctly, the place where Palpatine had just been. Cursing, she felt around her with the Force, trying to locate her opponent. Palpatine was too quick; before Leia saw it coming he had ignited his weapon and placed its blade near Han's throat. "Not so quick to rebel now, are we?" the old man taunted. She countered his attack, pushing the energy beam further away from the captain.

Leia felt the anger returning like an immense feeling of power that she hadn't yet connected with. She could still feel a slight chill still within her, but she brushed it away as the chancellor jumped into the rafters. She followed soon after, trying to keep her mind on the task at hand. Other thoughts were running through her brain like stampeding banthas, threatening to aid Palpatine. Leia once again attacked him, determination fueling her; she refused to let him catch her off guard.

"Face it, young Skywalker," the Sith cackled. "You are no match for me. I sense the anger in you. There is great potential for improvement, though, if you harness that anger and use it against your opponents. As a Sith you would rise to power. Soon no one could stop you. You have done nothing that couldn't be changed, my young apprentice, by simply using your weapon against your foolish brother instead of against me."

Something clicked into place in Leia's mind. "You say that no one could stop me," she said as she countered his blows, her face set. "What is to stop me from destroying my brother and father and you along with them?" The man who was nearly her master said nothing, but she could tell that he was afraid; his next few moves showed that he was obviously daunted. "I sense much fear in you, Master," Leia mocked.

"I am not afraid of you, Padawan," Sideous replied. He paused to scan the floor below, but in the second it took him to register Luke's arrival to the warehouse through the front door, Leia caught him off guard and struck at his arm. Her lightsaber left a large gash; Palpatine clutched at it, rendering him helpless. Just as she readied her weapon to deliver the final blow, she remembered what the old Jedi masters said when educating her as a Youngling: let go of your anger. Doing as she had been told for the first time in a while, Leia turned off her blade.

"Although it may seem foolish, old man," she said, turning to the Sith lord, "I trust that you cannot overpower me. Your philosophy is wrong. Anger does not strengthen you, but only clouds your judgment."

"As does," Sideous coughed, "your love, your caring, your sympathy. If ever you had a weakness, Skywalker, it is your compassion. You see light where there is only darkness, you seek help where none will give you anything but sour remarks. You are a fool, Leia, a fool who thinks that every life form has as big a heart as you do."

Leia smiled slightly to Palpatine's surprise. "I'd rather be labeled a fool for giving them more credit than they deserve than labeled a monster for viewing them as inferior." The Sith lord shook his head at her speech, then jumped down, amazed at the fact that Leia did not follow.

"I will find you someday," he taunted.

"And when I am ready, I will strike you down," Leia returned. She sat in the rafters, looking down on her brother and Han. Luke found her swinging her legs as they danged over the edge, smiling at him and waving. At last, when she was sure the Sith and his cronies if he had any had left, she jumped down.

Coincidentally, Han Solo was standing right near the spot where she landed. Despite her attitude Leia was near to breaking down, fighting fatigue and the cold that was threatening to once again rear its ugly head. She felt an overwhelming need for warmth and support, and so sought the nearest source of either or both.

Han's heart had never beaten so fast in his life. Leia threw her arms around his neck, embracing him tightly and sobbing against his shirt. "It's okay," he whispered, leaning down so she could hear him and also catching a whiff of her hair. It smelled incredible, he thought. Why hadn't he noticed it when he'd kissed her?

"I feel so weak," she said, at last peeling herself away from Han's arms. "I'm defenseless against him, and I fell for his tricks. Now here I am, having faced him but let him go, bawling my eyes out over nothing."

"You're not weak," Luke said sympathetically. "Palpatine was right about one thing. You really are one of the strongest Jedi in the order, Leia. How else could you have stood up to him like that?"

"Yeah," Han added, "not to mention you're pretty darn brave. I really admire the way you were able to overcome your anger and all that stuff. Man," he muttered, "I must be going soft. But it's true. You impressed me. You still impress me, Leia, and I don't think you'll ever stop."

"Thanks," she said. But suddenly, another thought broke the smile that was threatening to break out on her face. "Where's Mother?"


	12. The Last Visit, or Revolution's Catalyst

It had been three days since Leia's near fall to the Dark Side.

Three days of waiting expectantly by Padme's hospital bed until the droids deemed her free to go. Time was measured not by watches or clocks or even the coming of darkness and the return of dawn but by visits, quick visits that seemed to break the endless waiting into more sizeable pieces. Visits that caused more problems than they solved. For the visits were something both cherished and loathed by the Skywalker family.

On the morning of the third day, the twins were attempting to keep down some breakfast in the crowded cafeteria. Luke nearly bumped into his sister and a small amount of his soup fell over the lip of its container. "No place to sit," he asked, more statement than question for it was quite obvious that Leia was stopping due to the lack of empty tables. There were a few chairs available, but they were near a Gungen who looked terribly sick. Naturally, most avoided him. "We should go back to Mom's room. After all, it's not like you're going to come back for seconds. You've hardly been touching your dinner!"

"What's the point?" she replied vacantly as they headed down the corridor to their mother's room in the intensive care wing for blaster injuries, therapy, and speeder injuries, the category Padme fell under. A nurse held the door open for them when they reached their destination, more to prevent any further spills than because she really wanted to help. "There's a hole in me the size of Coruscant. And trust me, Luke," she added as she sat down on an unoccupied chair. "Nothing, not even food, is going to fill that up."

"Are you so sure about that?"

Luke smiled widely, but his happy expression was nothing compared to that of his sister's. She looked as if someone had just announced that she was to be the head of the Jedi council and made a master all in the same day. "Luke, shouldn't you be getting Mom some cookies or something?" she hissed as the person who had just entered the room stepped closer to them. Luke got up without much protest, happy to see Leia smiling, and even eating a bit of her food.

After Luke left with a meaningful glance at the speaker, the latter took up his seat on the bed near where Leia was sitting. "Long time no see," he said casually. "Actually, it's only been about a day or so, but that still feels like a long time to me. Heck, two minutes is a long time to be apart."

She smiled at the speaker, who was none other than Han Solo.

"You don't seem like yourself," Leia said at last. "The Han I know is less cheery, more quick to argue, and doesn't shave on a regular basis. And yes, I can tell that you shaved just this morning, so don't tell me you didn't." Han shrugged off the insults, pausing for a moment to gather a few of his own.

"Yeah, well, if I hadn't had to step in and save your butt, I wouldn't need to look all nice and heroic. Man, that Palpatine has got some issues! Well, what he lacks in looks, he makes up for in his taste in women," he said, reclining in his chair. Leia made a sound halfway between a sigh and a snort.

She looked away from him. "I don't get it. First you were rude and obnoxious, then you were telling me all your feelings and how you think I'm brave, and now you're being a complete jerk again. Although," she added shyly, "somehow I don't mind as much this time."

"I'm not a complete jerk all the time," Han protested. "You said so yourself, sweetheart."

"My point exactly. Sweetheart," she laughed. "What exactly do you mean by calling me sweetheart? I suppose it's one of those things that just is, the kind of thing I miss when you're not around." Leia took a deep breath. "I just still feel like Palpatine's right there, breathing down my neck. It was horrible, Han. I felt so cold, and it was the kind of cold that penetrates through your bones. It's still there. I just wish I had something I could hold onto, someone I could lean on."

Han reached out a hand as if to stroke her hair, but it never reached her face. "Leia, I can't," he whispered, not moving his hand from where he'd left it in front of her. "Not like this. Palpy was right about one thing: as long as you're a Jedi…" As Han's voice trailed off, Leia reached out and took his hand in hers. She felt its rough surface incredulously, as if she didn't believe that this could be real. A smile creeping up her face, she placed his hand gently on the nape of her neck.

It was like all the feelings that had been brewing under the surface ever since he'd seen Leia bowing before Sideous came to a point inside Han. Leia herself was on the brink of a revelation. Used to living in fear, she had never let anyone in until now. Without a word, Han leaned in closer to her. His conscience, a part of him that he'd never been fully in contact with, was screaming orders at him, fighting to keep him from making a mistake.

He couldn't do this to her, not after all that she'd been through. Han looked at her apologetically, but also with a longing gaze that only Leia could interpret. It was as if he was asking a question, one he didn't want to know the answer to. But as he began to pull away, she answered for him and brought a pair of shaking lips to his.

Han's stomach was doing backflips as he closed his eyes and deepened the kiss. It seemed as though the Jedi order didn't exist at all. He could almost hear the way she was feeling, as if by some form of telepathy. But this only brought him back to his senses; deep within him he knew that this form of communication was only possible for a Jedi. Leia's heart sank as he abruptly pulled away; Han could tell she was hurt, but mistook her disappointment for regret. "Oh, man…Leia," he stuttered, scratching the back of his neck. "I'm so sorry, I should have never…" Han got up, shaking his head. "I need a drink," he muttered as he headed towards the hospital exit.

"Han!" Leia exclaimed as she got up and ran after him. "Where do you think you're going?" The tall smuggler was too quick, and Leia had to adjust her pace to catch up. "I don't understand why you're running away."

"Because, Leia, I forced you to break the Jedi code!" he yelled, turning to face her. "All this time I said that I wasn't going to do anything, I wasn't planning on following through with my feelings, but here we are and you just broke the rule we've been trying to enforce. For once in my life I can't say that it's not my fault because it so obviously is! And the worst part is that I enjoyed it. I shouldn't enjoy breaking apart your dreams."

He started to walk again, but Leia caught his arm. "You didn't make me break the Jedi code, Han. I already had."

"What the heck are you talking about?"

"Han," she sighed wearily. "It takes two people. How else could you have kissed me if I didn't want you to?"

"You could've stopped me."

"You're impossible," Leia said bitterly. "You just don't understand, even when I'm making it obvious. Besides, I distinctly remember kissing you first."

"No you don't," he snapped back. "Besides, you wouldn't have if my arm wasn't around your neck."

"What? What was that?" she yelled indignantly. "That's because I put it there, you idiot! It would've never happened, none of this would have happened if I didn't move your hand because I wanted to!"

He glared at her. "What exactly is it you're trying to say?"

"What I'm trying to say," Leia said, her face flushed. "What I have been trying to say the entire time is that I have already broken the Jedi code, Han Solo, because I love you."

"Oh," said Han, with the air of a deflating balloon. "Oh. Right." He stood there, looking and feeling like the galaxy's biggest jerk. "This whole time I was fighting with you over nothing. That's it then. For the record," he said slowly, "what exactly was it you just said?"

"I love you," Leia said with a smile.

"You love me," he said, letting out a deep breath. "You love me. And," he paused again, "I love you."

"Thank you, Captain Obvious."

He didn't stop smiling, for Leia's happiness was infectious, and he found that he really was happy inside. Han had been waiting for that insult, that last word she always had to have. Leia threw her arms around him for the second time, but not simply to get the chill of the Dark Side out of her bones. He returned the embrace, and for a few moments the couple was happy. But when you were a part of the Skywalker family, things didn't stay that way forever. "What are we gonna do now?" Leia asked, lifting her head from his chest to look into his eyes.

"Not sure," he admitted. This was a choice that Han didn't want to make, let alone think about.

"We'll talk about that later," she promised. "And as for now…well, seeing as I already broke the Jedi code, one more kiss couldn't hurt." Han beamed at her, and the couple embraced again.

It had been three days since Padme was admitted into the hospital. Three days of that unbearable chill inside Leia that had only just recently lifted, but was now replaced with uncertainty for the future. Three days of a father and brother worrying about one young woman who hadn't been eating much.

The waiting, as they all knew, had been broken up by visits. The last visit would mean the last night Senator Amidala spent in her bed. Tomorrow they would leave, and things would return to almost normal. But as they also knew, the visits had their repercussions. There was a reason that they were loved and hated by the family.

What they didn't know was that this particular visit held the keys to the destinies of several people: Leia Skywalker and her father, Han Solo, and Luke to name a few. But most of all, to the destinies of a young woman named Gracie and a young boy named Ricco.

For without that visit, they might have never existed.


	13. Outta Sight, Even More On The Brain

_To The Council:_

_I regret to inform you that I am no longer able to remain a part of the Jedi order. Things have come up recently and I cannot hold fast to the beliefs of the Jedi as well as those of my own heart. Unfortunately, I will therefore never be promoted to knight or master. I would ask that you turn your attention to Padawan Luke Diatu, who is more than capable of taking my place as a knight of the Republic._

_Sincerely,_

_Leia Janren_

The letter was left unsent on her dresser. Leia wasn't even sure why she'd gotten up at dawn, failed to meditate and instead wrote that note to get it off her chest. She had even taken the care to use her alias and that of her brother. They had received them from their father; Diatu was the surname of a family long gone and the name Janren was offered to Leia by her own uncle.

Now she got up from her bed in the Skywalker house, walked to the middle of her room and sat down on the floor cross-legged. She couldn't concentrate before; perhaps the letter had gotten out her anxiety. But once again she found it increasingly difficult to feel the Force flowing through everything and everyone. The thought of people brought her to thoughts of Han, and she was inclined to give up on meditation altogether.

Perhaps it would have been better for the both of them if she had told him that she could never feel the same way about him, or even if she'd opened up but said that he deserved someone he could actually marry without fear of penalty. Leia shook that from her head. She always preferred to think in the present or else in the future. Dwelling in the past wouldn't solve anything.

The future wasn't promising, either. If she sent the letter, she might have a chance at a better life for both herself and the man she loved. That relied on Han's devotion and dedication, two things she still doubted, despite her love for him. And what if his intent was not to marry her, where would she go then? No, Leia thought, it was best to concentrate on the present.

And presently, she wanted to see the Millennium Falcon.

Ten minutes later she was inside Master Skywalker's speeder. Although Leia had never been the pilot that her brother was, she was more than capable of holding her own in a small craft. Coupled with her incredible knowledge of the Force it was no more difficult than it was for Luke. As she sped into town, she passed the hospital where Padme had been recently held and, she thought excitedly, where she and Han had their first kiss. Not counting the one on the Falcon, that is. Leia's heart was racing wildly at a pace that rivaled the speeder, and she knew it was not entirely from the thrill of flight.

But as she pulled into the hangar where the Falcon was…or more correctly should have been, anger boiled inside her. There was no sign of the pilot or his Wookiee friend, and he had said absolutely nothing about leaving. Leia would have been able to tell if he was in any danger, and therefore leaving was the only word for it. She felt her rage rising in her throat, indignant that he hadn't bothered to tell her where he was going or that he was going at all. "Excuse me," she called to a mechanic that was patrolling the hangar. "Do you know where the ship that was just here went?" The mechanic shook his head, and Leia swore under her breath, cursing Han for not caring about her. "Looks like I won't be needing that letter after all. At least Father will be happy."

She had no idea that the smuggler hadn't really left her, at least not in the way she'd thought. Han was en route to pick up some cargo that Jabba had entrusted him with. The Hutt had promised that he wouldn't give him any more trouble if he finished what he started. "Well," he said, turning to Chewbacca, "looks like this is the last trip we'll be making." The Wookiee howled in response. "I told you already, Jabba's letting me off easy. He's not happy to see me go, but with all the tight scrapes we've been in, it really wouldn't be a bad idea to retire."

Chewie was obviously not pleased: he shook his head vigorously. "Not really retire," Han reassured him. "Just find someone new to work for, someone a little more…forgiving. I was thinkin' maybe we could pose as members of some kinda flying brigade, then use our status to help us smuggle stuff outta the Republic. It's just a thought," he added.

"Oh fine, I'll admit it. The real purpose of the trip," he sighed, but the Wookiee nodded for him to continue, "is to get some people off of my mind. Okay, mainly Leia, but it can't be healthy for a guy to be so infatuated with someone like that. And don't you give me any of that 'just a bit of lovesickness' crap, cause we both know that ain't the way I am. Besides, it's not like I can marry the girl."

Han checked the coordinates for the trip. Soon they would be at the warehouse where Jabba claimed the goods were being stored until he came to pick them up. The trip was fairly smooth compared to his other exploits; this translated to only a few near captures and one or two Jedi starships that were easily avoided. "Sure hope our leaving didn't rub her the wrong way," he muttered to himself. "She's pretty short fused, but she's got a lotta spirit. You gotta admire that kinda thing."

Chewie made another noise, this one more pleasant. "Go back for her?" Han repeated. "Well, yeah, I was kinda hoping we would. Now that the Hutt's off our tail, maybe we could work something out. It's a fantasy, I know, but hey, if we don't at least try, it'll never happen. So it's settled then. We'll get the goods, get outta here, head to Jabba's, then see if Leia still wants me around."

Despite the fact that Han would probably put a bullet in anyone who so much implied it, he really missed her. "Maybe that's why I left," he said aloud, Chewie responding with a sympathetic look. "Because I love her, and I'm not used to feelin' so strongly about anyone. It's not natural. It's just not Han Solo."

Then again, he thought, maybe it really was. He never had any real family that was there for him, so perhaps he just never learned how to love someone. Now that he did it scared him. Would he suddenly become a softie who thought smuggling was no way to make a living? Would he be too moral to use whatever job he got as a cover?

Heck, no! Not until the day Leia would forgive him on the spot for not saying goodbye without so much as an insult. Which, of course, would never happen.


	14. A Question Answered

It was late in the night that the noise began. Luke Skywalker had gotten up for a drink of water, rubbing sleep out of his eyes and yawning loudly. His muscles ached from the running he and his family had done in the past week. Anakin had done even more; he was the one to run and tell Padme what had happened to Leia and where Luke and Han ran off. But Luke's legs felt like lead as he tiptoed down the stairs.

He headed into the kitchen and pulled out a glass. Everything was in order, and he sunk into a chair gratefully to finish his water. Luke was known for his random midnight snacks that were never necessarily at midnight. Upstairs his sister groaned and covered her head with her pillow; he hadn't been so quiet after all. The Skywalker kitchen was dim, until suddenly, two bright beams of light pierced through the window. Maybe it wasn't him that woke Leia up, Luke thought.

The lights moved, then stopped completely, suggesting that their source was the headlights of a speeder. The Padawan sighed as he got up to put away the remnants of his trip to the kitchen. Hopefully it was a wrong turn that someone made and not a visit; Luke didn't want to be bothered on his first night of sleep since the disaster with Sideous.

All of them needed it for different reasons. Luke was overcome with fatigue, Anakin had been sick with worry for his wife, Padme had found the hospital bed to be quite uncomfortable, and Leia was in a sour mood in general. She had returned from the hangar late that very night with the news that Han had left and that he hadn't come back in the many timeparts she'd stood there.

He could seriously hurt the smuggler for standing up his sister like that. Naturally, this wasn't the Jedi way, but since when had they ever paid attention to it before? Hopefully Leia would realize the dangers of having a relationship with Han and move on. Luke headed up the stairs, his feet lighter on their wood surface than when he'd come down.

He stopped midway up, convinced that he'd heard a slight knocking sound. Chalking it up to the lateness of his journey, he continued until he heard it again: frantic knocking. "Who's there?" he called. All he got in response was more knocking and a familiar voice, though it was so muffled that he couldn't identify it. Luke walked to the door, and what he found there was surprising.

Han Solo's face was pressed to the glass. "Luke!" he yelled happily, relief spreading over his face. "I'm so glad to see you. Hey, could you open up? I need to talk to your sister. I need Leia." Which, in Luke's frame of thinking, sounded quite hypocritical. Still, seeing the distress on his friend's face, he opened the door.

"You didn't seem so worked up when you left her," he said condescendingly. Han started to apologize or argue, but Luke didn't bother to find out which. "Don't deny it. She was really angry, sure, but that's no all. She's my sister, Han, and I can tell when she's upset. You won't get off easy, that's for sure."

Luke headed up the stairs, Han hot on his heels and spilling out scores of apologies. "Luke, you don't understand! She was all I could think about, and it wasn't natural for me, so I thought that sticking around might cause problems for you guys. Jabba offered me this deal, and…"

"You'd rather spend time with a smelly Hutt than the woman you love?" he finished for him.

"That's where you're wrong! I just needed to clear my head, is all." Luke turned to look Han in the eye, but the smuggler was undaunted. Han continued, "Ever since I was a kid, I've never really been loved, or in love, so I never knew what to expect. I know that I'd betray my feelings to your folks sooner or later."

"You have a point," Luke agreed. "I suppose you're right, that you really did need to get your feelings sorted out. But you went about it in the wrong manner. Leia would've appreciated it if you told her what you just told me before you left, and it's too late for that now. Go on, talk to her. She'll listen in time." They finished the climb, and Luke turned to stop Han before he entered Leia's room. "Tomorrow morning. She's asleep now. You can wait here until then."

There came a muffled voice from Leia's room. "No I'm not, Luke, I'm wide awake. You and your glass of water kept me up. But you're right, I don't want to talk to Han until morning. In fact, it'll take most of my strength to keep a civil tongue when talking to him then, so unless you want to hear a Jedi do a lot of swearing, you'd best leave me alone for tonight." Han winced, but headed off to Luke's room where he stayed the night he first came to the Skywalkers. It seemed, Han thought, like they just kept running in circles, and it was partially his doing.

Morning couldn't come soon enough for a troubled Leia. Her sleep was light and the aging beams and flooring of the Skywalker home was conspiring against her, or so it seemed. Han popped in and out of her dreams, along with Luke, who constantly repeated the mantra, "Search your feelings." "I'm trying!" she would yell back, but whenever she looked for that feeling of oneness with the Force and more importantly, with Han something held her back. It was the sound of her voice and it just kept getting in the way.

So when she saw Han, eating the breakfast that Padme had whipped up the minute Luke revealed their secret guest, she knew what to do. The dream had given her an idea: if Han wouldn't listen to her talk, maybe he would prefer to hear her think. 'Are you okay?' she said through a small bond that had developed between them. It wasn't as powerful as hers was with Luke or her master, but it was decent.

Naturally, Han turned to Padme. "Did you say something?"

"Nope," Padme said with a smile. "But I'll bet I know who did. When you live with Jedi constantly around you, you get used to having their thoughts broadcast into your mind." Han looked from Padme to Leia and gave the latter a glare. 'Sorry,' Leia tried again. 'It's weird at first, but it's nice to have a little privacy. Unless you'd like to talk somewhere else?'

It took a bit more effort to read someone's thoughts, especially the better guarded they were. Most Jedi masters were capable of blocking this, but Han lacked the necessary experience in the Force, and Leia breached his feeble defenses easily. As with most non-Force wielders, his thoughts of her remained in the third-person manner most were accustomed to. 'I wish she'd just stay outta my head. I don't want her to know what I'm thinking! But maybe she'll know what I'm feeling and then she won't get mad.'

Leia smiled secretively. She now knew exactly how to get the message across to Han that he shouldn't have to hide his feelings from her. 'Could you give us a minute?' she thought to Padme, who instantly improvised a story about Anakin and some speeder parts. "You'll be fine alone. I'll be back soon!"

"Well," Leia said, turning to Han. "You wanted me out of your head, and that's what you'll get. But it's not going to be easy hearing what I'm about to say. You had your chance," she said sadly. "Some people find it easier to hear it through someone's thoughts, as if that makes it more genuine. Well, here goes. You do realize, that after what you did, how you left me here, that I really have no reason to forgive you?"

"Yeah," Han said gruffly. "I know you probably don't care anymore than you ever said you did. All that stuff back there…I'd guess you don't mean that anymore." She could feel his inner doubts through the Force, along with a horrible sensation of self-loathing. Leia struggled to keep her calm veneer, knowing that while her words were agonizing for the smuggler, it was what would prove her loyalty to him in the end.

"And you probably realized by now," she continued, "that the most sensible thing for us to do is move on, because my loyalties should lie with the Jedi order, always?" He nodded slowly, and she thought her heart would break from the sorrow resonating from his core. But she knew that the next few words would ease him.

"Han," she said softly, taking his hand in hers. "Look at me," she pleaded, then turned his head when he wouldn't listen. A smile began to break out on her face, and Han's expression was as confused as hers was elated. "You also realize that I'm too stubborn, to set in my ways, and too hell-bent on being with you to care about all those things?" She had to repress a laugh; he was a mixture of confusion and giddiness.

"Actually," he said, calm voice not betraying any of what Leia already knew, "I don't think I did." And suddenly, burning clear in his mind were her thoughts, plain as if he'd thought of them himself a few moments ago. Suddenly, Han knew why she said it was easier to communicate through the Force, because he knew for certain that Leia really loved him no matter what she said. Had she been doing this all along?

"To answer your question," Leia's actual voice cutting through the dreamlike state the bond had left him in, "I hadn't gone into your mind intentionally. But on occasion I could tell when you really meant what you were saying. If you could use the Force you would have been able to figure out that I was struggling to keep from falling for you ages ago. That is, of course, before I realized that it was futile to fight it, since it would be a whole lot nicer just to give in. Who cares about the Jedi code? I love you."

"You know what?" Han said, leaning closer to her and stroking her hand. "I love me, too." If this were a few weeks ago, Leia might never let him hear the end of it. But the Force was flowing though her and everything else, and through it she could tell that despite what he said, he always seemed to mean something else. And that was how they came to understand each other, and how Leia found herself eagerly returning his kiss.

They sat there together for some time after they made up, talking about things such as government and even getting into a few petty arguments. Leia, of course, used her mother's diplomatic skill to state her case, and Han found some form of loophole to pick at no matter how well she'd laid things out. Things were much friendlier between the two now that they were on the same page. "Leia?" Han said after some time. "I was just thinkin'…if there weren't a Jedi code, would you say yes if I ever asked you to, you know, marry me?"

"Well," she began. "I'm not sure. I mean, I've only known you for a few weeks, so it'd be a little weird. Then again, my parents met a long time ago, but it was only for a short time that they were together, and they got married right after they met up again. Of course, this is strictly hypothetical, so I'd have to say yes."

"You would?" Han said brightly.

"That's what I just said, isn't it?" Leia was confused more than just slightly. "This is, of course, assuming that there is no Jedi code and that my father would not disapprove highly of-" Han cut her off abruptly.

"Leia," he said, laughing slightly, "I don't think you understand the question." He just smiled at her, watching the light coming from the kitchen window as it danced across her face. He knew that it was a risk, putting his heart on his sleeve like that, but this was Han Solo, and he tended to take a lot of risks. The greater the risk, the greater the reward, right? He sighed. "Leia," he paused again, "would you…?"

She couldn't say that she hadn't understood the question that time. It was apparent without even looking to the Force for help. This wasn't a rhetorical question, either, and she was positive that he wasn't speaking hypothetically this time. She wanted to wait, she wanted the question to be something she could come back to later in life. But she remembered the letter on her desk, the letter she'd burnt last night. It wasn't going to wait for her to make up her mind, and although Han might, she could never put him through such agony. It was now or never, the Force seemed to be telling Leia. There was no multiple choice, this was just a question she had to figure out on her own.

She let out the breath she'd been holding in, and she answered.

End 


	15. Epilogue: Children of the Force

**Epilogue: Children of the Force**

There were two women standing beside the Jedi starship inside the temple hangar. Light danced across the floor, transforming even the most industrial of the buildings into a magical haven. The younger of the two was stroking her ship affectionately. "It's pretty funny," she remarked, "how I wasn't taught to fly by the other Jedi pilots, and yet they still let me go on these missions."

"That's because you're the best of the best, my young apprentice," her master replied with a proud smile. She ruffled the girl's hair, a gesture that seemed more motherly than anything else did. The older woman looked around cautiously at the other masters bidding their Padawans goodbye. A pair of blue eyes caught her own, and she bowed her head instantly.

"Master Skywalker," said the Padawan. "That's what's been bugging you, isn't it? I haven't seen you this down except for when they cut off air traffic from Corellia and they weren't letting their pilots leave." She offered her master a sympathetic smile. "It's okay. People who live in glass houses still shouldn't throw stones, even if he did try to stop you." There was an announcement over a loudspeaker for all those who were flying to board their ships. "Well, that's my cue."

She turned to the ship, but her master stopped her. "Gracie," she said, a tone of foreboding in her voice, and the Padawan rolled her eyes. "Stop that! I was just going to say, be careful. And don't you dare do anything stupid!"

"Relax, Master," the girl reassured her. "You said it yourself, I'm the best of the best, and the best of the best of the best trained me. It's in my genes, remember? After all, you do know which of my parents I take after." Judging by the older Jedi's expression, this wasn't helping to calm her nerves. "Enjoy the time off. I got wind of a few rumors that a certain pilot of a certain Millennium Falcon would be dropping off a load of cargo here." Here she winked at her master. "Maybe he'll say hello to you. Well, I gotta fly, literally! Take care, Master, and may the Force be with you."

The Jedi master gave Gracie a quick hug. "And with you, my daughter," she whispered into her brown hair. With one last glance at her dancing hazel eyes, she backed up to give her room to take off. The Padawan waved at her one last time before putting on her helmet and climbing in. After the fleet had left the hangar, she began to walk back to her quarters, but stopped and pulled into a shadowy corner.

Almost instantly after the hangar was cleared, it became occupied again, but this time by a large ship designed for more than one individual. Her heart was racing as she watched from her hiding place. The ramp was going down and three figures could be seen: a tall, furry outline, a slightly shorter one, and a very small child. The man came down first, followed by the boy. "You stay here, Chewie. Guard the ship," the child said, and the furry figure, the Wookiee Chewbacca, growled contentedly, ruffling the boy's hair.

The Jedi master got into position as the man entered the temple, his footsteps echoing as the floor changed from the harsher metal of the hangar to the smooth marble of the temple interior. He looked around, scratching his head and completely overlooking her. She may have been smaller than he was, but she had the advantage of surprise. As he backed up slightly, she reached her arms around him from behind, one hand over his mouth to muffle any screams, and pulled him into the shadows.

Han Solo had been expecting a quiet entry to the Jedi temple, but often this was not the case. He didn't think that the calm, peaceful guardians of the Republic would ambush him on sight. Still, his reputation wasn't the best these days, and he was prepared to defend himself. Opening his mouth slightly, he bit down firmly on his captor's hand. There was a familiar female yelp and the hand was gone. Something in that voice…"Leia?" he asked, turning around.

"Here," she said quickly, sucking on her hand as soon as she'd answered him. "But you just missed Gracie, she was flying with that last fleet. There was a separatist rebellion in a small system and there weren't enough of them to defend it. Oh, and thanks for the welcome, nothing says, 'Hi, honey, I missed you' like an injured hand. I wouldn't be surprised if you had rabies!"

"Didn't know it was you," he muttered, turning away for a moment to look at the small boy, who was running around curiously. "But now that I do," he said, turning back to her with a mischievous grin, "Hi, honey, I missed you a lot when I didn't see you for the past three and a half months." Leia couldn't stand it any longer; she threw her arms around his neck and pulled him into a passionate kiss, which would've lasted longer if the little boy hadn't found them.

"I knew it!" he yelled happily as he ran up to the master. "I could tell, I swear. I got the Force sense, Mom. I can do it!" She hugged him tightly, then grabbed him by the shoulders and gaze into his familiar brown eyes. "We got over here fine, but the hyperdrive was busted and I had to fix it up, and I made my first patch for the Falcon today, you wanna see?" he rattled on. "Where's Gracie?" he said suddenly, his expression becoming concerned.

"She and her fleet just left," Leia explained quickly. "But there'll be more Jedi on their way soon, and we better head back to the apartments before anyone gets suspicious. You know that Jedi aren't allowed to have families, and even coming here is risky for you!" The trio headed out of the shadows and into the corridor, where Han and his son distanced themselves from Leia.

"You know," Han whispered as they neared the apartments, "the Jedi order has become seriously corrupt! Master Skywalker, now you, and even Gracie is an illegal Padawan. Are there any other we should know about?" The boy instantly erupted in laughter, causing his father to ask, "What's so funny, Ricco?"

He took a breath. "Master Yoda!" His parents laughed just as hard as he did, and for a moment they seemed like a normal family.

* * *

It was later that night, and Han was tired. Leia's apartment was tiny, and Ricco was already staying in Gracie's room while she was away. He sighed, then turned to Leia. "Why do we keep putting ourselves through this?"

"What?" she asked casually. They were sitting on the end of Leia's bed, the tiny flat things most Jedi owned.

"Don't get me wrong," Han began, "I love you, and I love being with you. But I hate coming home only to compare which of us is doing a better job with our kids, and even when we're getting along we never have the courage to say what's on our minds."

Leia smiled wearily. "We have the Force, Han. I'll always know what you mean, and I promise I won't keep my feelings from you. But I understand how you feel. I feel it too, especially when I know that Ricco may never get much farther than having small Force senses because he can't be in the order with Gracie. It's too risky, and already I'm risking a lot by training my own daughter."

"Why, then, do we constantly put the strain on ourselves and our children? Ricco and I haven't seen you in so long, and a kid can't live without both of his parents. Trust me, Leia, I know, and it's no way to grow up. He's not the only one; I need you, too, even though it sounds kinda stupid. But why do we do this?"

She kissed him on the cheek. "First of all, that's not stupid, it's sweet, which is probably why you said it was dumb. And as for why we do this, it's because we love each other, and because we love Gracie and Ricco, too. We knew it would be like this, my parents knew it would be like this, and the kids knew it would be like this. But life goes on, Han, and we'll still have each other, even if we are across the galaxy. You know, I can feel your presence even when you're miles away."

"That's pretty deep. You know what?" he said with a smile. "I wouldn't want it any other way."

**To Be Continued In Run Between The Raindrops**


End file.
